


A Warm Hearth, A Warm Heart

by RJMeta



Series: AWH-verse [1]
Category: A Hat in Time (Video Game)
Genre: (tag wranglers i'm so sorry), Angst, Background Character Death, Choking, Crying, Fluff, Gen, Hugs, Hurt/Comfort, Panic Attacks, Suicidal Thoughts, accidental murder? is that a thing?, not in a sexy way in a 'i'm going to kill you' way
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-12
Updated: 2020-10-12
Packaged: 2021-03-08 02:33:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 10
Words: 14,558
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26978146
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RJMeta/pseuds/RJMeta
Summary: "The last thing the Conductor expected to hear, late at night in the middle of the week, was the phone in the cab of his train ringing. Not least of all due to the time - it was well past midnight at this point, ranging into the early hours of the night. But more than that, there was only one phone that had this one’s number, and it was the one in his office at Dead Bird Studios."-=-=-=-=-My friend and I were bemoaning the lack of Train Dad Adopts Space Child fics on here and then they gave a whole bunch of plot points and then this happened. I did not expect it to be this long. Have fun!
Relationships: The Conductor & Hat Kid (A Hat in Time)
Series: AWH-verse [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1968832
Comments: 3
Kudos: 74





	1. Dust Bowl Dance

**Author's Note:**

> uhhhh welp have fun ig  
> each chapter is named for the song i was playing on repeat while writing - this one was [Dust Bowl Dance by Mumford and Sons](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OuJ6k-rmaX0)

The last thing the Conductor expected to hear, late at night in the middle of the week, was the phone in the cab of his train ringing. Not least of all due to the time - it was well past midnight at this point, ranging into the early hours of the night. But more than that, there was only one phone that had this one’s number, and it was the one in his office at Dead Bird Studios.

“Ah swear, if this is some kinda peckin’ joak…”

Grumpily, he set down his quill (old-fashioned, he knew that, but there was something comforting about the familiar scratch of nib on paper that just helped bring the ideas forward when he was stuck in a writing block) and stomped over to the phone, bringing the receiver to his head with a displeased frown.

“Who is this and how’d ye get this number?”

_“Conductor? Is that you?”_

He jerked in surprise.

“Hatted lass? Issat you?”

_“Yeah! Your, uh, number was still in my contacts list after…”_

She trailed off. He winced.

“Aye… ah must confess, ah didnae expect tae hear from ye again after ye left. Ah’m pleasantly surprised - what brings ye our way?”

There was a pained silence for a moment.

_"My home… slipped into a time dilation while I was away. The family I knew is… no longer around."_

He exhaled heavily, ears drooping in empathy as his mind briefly flashed to his daughter.

"Oh, lassie… Ah'm so sorry. No one should have tae go through that."

His heart ached as he heard a small sniffle from the other end of the call.

_"I, um, I was calling to ask if you knew of anywhere I could park my ship? It… looks like I'm going to be staying here for a while."_

"Of course, lassie."

He paused a moment, thinking.

"Are ye able tae get the co-ordinates of me train?"

_"Uh huh."_

"Ah'm currently parked up at th' last stop - it's in th' middle of th' desert, there's plenty of room around for ye."

There was another quiet sniffle.

_"Thanks, Conductor."_

He smiled sadly.

"Not a problem, lass. Ah'll see ye in a minute."

Hanging the receiver back on its hook, he sighed, running a hand through his head-feathers. His heart ached for the little lass - to be gone so long, and come back to find out you've lost so much… he ran a thumb over the inscription on the back of his pocketwatch, taking a moment to indulge in memory before straightening again and heading for the door. There was a rumble in the ground that he could feel through the train - no doubt from the houseship landing.

Stepping out, he saw he was entirely correct. The ship's thrusters kicked up a cloud of dust and small debris as it carefully maneuvered to the ground, gently touching and powering down. He strode over just in time to meet the lass at the window-door. She visibly brightened on seeing him, but there was still a slump to her shoulders that his parental instincts demanded he ease.

"C'mere, lass."

Gently tugging her close, he pulled her into a hug, feeling the way she stiffened in surprise before relaxing into it. Her fingers tightened around the back of his shirt as she began to tremble, breath hiccupping. He gently rubbed circles into her back, carefully pressing her head into his shoulder.

"Go oan, lass. Let it out."

There was a pause, then she burst into tears, sobbing into his shoulder. Rocking slightly from side to side, he did his best to soothe her, murmuring quiet coos from the back of his throat.

"I j-just-- I m-miss them s-so m-much!"

"Ah know, lass. Ah know."

"It _h-hurts_."

Tucking her under his beak, he tightened his grip on her slightly.

"It does, lass, and it will for a while to come. But ye cannae let the hurt stop ye from feeling, y'hear? Don't let the sadness overwhelm ye. Feel the hurt, feel the love, and remember them. Given enough time, the hurt will fade, but the love will always remain."

They stayed like that for a while as her sobs slowly petered out into wet hiccups before stopping altogether. Stepping back slightly, he pulled out a handkerchief and passed it over to her.

"Feelin' better, lass?"

Wiping her face, she nodded, passing the handkerchief back when she was done. She stared at the ground, fidgeting slightly. Concern furrowing his brow, he opened his beak to speak, but she beat him to it.

“Can I stay with you tonight?”

Taken aback, he faltered slightly in surprise before regaining his mental footing.

“Er-- aye, o’course, but… why d’ye wanna stay wi’ me of all birds?”

She glanced up, shuffling under his confused gaze.

“You make me feel safe.”

He fell silent, stunned. Even after everything he did to her, he made her feel… safe? He’d yelled at her! He’d endangered her! Hell, he almost killed her - would have killed her, had she not defused the bomb in time (and it was exceptionally close, mere milliseconds in it). Even after all that…?

Noticing the way she was nervously fidgeting with the brim of her hat, he shook off those dark thoughts. There’d be time enough later to have a proper discussion about all that. He placed a hand on her shoulder.

“O’course ye can stay wi’ me, lassie. C’mon, Ah’ll set ye up a bunk in the caboose.”


	2. Unfinished Business

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> chapter song: [Unfinished Business by Mumford and Sons](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N0gDXlYzy_A)

The next morning, the Conductor made sure to be quiet as he woke and stepped out to the dining car, making use of the kitchen facilities to cook a quick breakfast for himself and the child still sleeping in a hastily made (but expertly constructed, thank you) hammock. The bacon spat grease at him, but he paid it no mind as he carefully turned the rashers, getting them just the right amount of crispy before using the remaining grease to fry some eggs before plating it all. Instinct had him grabbing two mugs for coffee before freezing and slowly putting one back, swapping it for a glass and a carton of orange juice. Setting everything on a tray, he snagged some silverware before carefully carrying it all to the fold-out table in the caboose.

“Lass, breakfast is ready.”

Thankfully, he didn’t have to do much more prodding - the smell of freshly cooked food was more than enough to rouse the child. Stretching, she rolled out of the hammock, catching herself in an impressive twist that ended with her on her feet, stretching in a yawn before rubbing her eyes.

“Mmmmm...”

She blinked once, twice, then went beet red.

“O-oh! Conductor! I’m sorry, good morning!”

He chuckled at her, gesturing to the food.

“Mornin’, lass. Food’s up - bacon and eggs, with orange juice fer ye and coffee fer me.”

Still red, she nodded, hurrying over to the table. There was just enough room for the two of them - he’d dug out an old folding chair and set it on the opposite side for her, while he sat on the edge of the travel-nest. He snorted into his mug when she took her first bite, not missing the way her eyes literally turned to stars.

“Enjoyin’ it, lassie?”

She looked up with half a rasher of bacon hanging out her mouth, nodding profusely. He gestured at it with his fork.

“Oi, cut yer food up ‘fore ye stick it in yer mouth.”

She flushed again, quickly sticking the rest of the rasher in her mouth. Swallowing the mouthful, she washed it down with a gulp of orange juice.

“Sorry, I haven’t had much of a chance to stock up on food.”

He frowned.

“Well, that’s no gud. We’ll have to get that squared away today, then.”

They continued eating in peaceful silence. He could feel the glances she was sneaking his way, ignoring them with the ease of a parent. When they’d both finished, he sat back, swirling the last few dregs of coffee around the bottom of his mug before throwing them back and placing the mug down with a clink.

“So! Let’s talk business.”

She nodded at him, getting serious. He folded his arms across his chest, tapping his claws against his bicep in thought.

“DJ Peck Neck got ye a passport th’ last time ye were here, right? Do ye know the expiry date?”

She bit her lip.

“No, I never bothered looking. The passport itself is in my backpack, I can go get it when I go back to my ship.”

“Gud call, we’ll need tae see if it’s still in date. If it ain’t, ye’ll need tae apply for a new one. That’ll getcha legal citizenship and Ah can square ye away as a renter, so long as yer ship stays on me land.”

She blinked at him, eyes wide.

“You own this stretch of land?”

He grinned back at her, a small shot of pride rushing through him.

“Aye lass - forty acres of desert, plus all the land occupied by th’ tracks and stations. Some of it, twenty acres of desert, some of the desert stops, Ah inherited. Th’ rest of it, I bought with some of th’ money Ah made as a director.”

“Whoa…”

“Anywho, like Ah said, I can square ye away as a renter if’n ye wanna leave yer ship in th’ desert. If ye wanna move it, Ah can help ye find a place - Ah’ve quite a bit of pull in some areas.”

She blinked at him, looking a little overwhelmed.

“Um-- c-can I leave it here? At least, for a little while?”

He quickly nodded, leaning back slightly.

“O’course, lassie, not a problem.”

There was an awkward silence. He cleared his throat.

“Well, time’s gettin’ oan. Ye go run tae yer ship, grab anythin’ ye’ll need fer the day, while Ah start me train. We’ll pick up the Express Owls, then head into the Studio - I bet DJ Peck Neck will be glad tae see ye!”

She giggled, nodding, then disassembled the hammock as he took the breakfast dishes back to the kitchen car, giving them a quick wash before putting them back into place. Walking up to the cab, he started making a mental list of things to do to help her get settled.

_Let’s see… sort out that passport, then take her shopping fer supplies sometime today. Should see if her telescopic fast travel still works when she’s grounded, it’d make life a hell of a lot easier. After that, offer her a job so she can earn a bit of money and cement this renter business._

As he thought, he went through the motions of starting the train, the sequence so firmly ingrained into him that was an entirely instinctual process.

_O’course, this is all the lass’ choice. She could decide she wants nothin’ tae do wi’ me - Ah wouldnae blame her, in all honesty. Ah’ve done so much tae hurt her…_

He paused, running a hand across the control panel. DJ Peck Neck had made him remove the bomb underneath it immediately after filming Train Rush, but he could still picture the lass’ scared face as she burst into the cab, diving for the button. He hadn’t immediately realised it, but she was crying, stuttering hiccups derailing any anger he had at her managing to pull off the defusal.

The bollocking he got from DJ Peck Neck was nothing compared to the chilling knowledge that, in his quest to kill himself, he’d almost killed her, too.

(No one else knew of the true reason behind Train Rush, of course. He’d been careful to keep it under wraps. He paid the owls on his train at the time double for their trouble and carefully kept his mouth shut about the nature of the bomb.)

(He ignored the fact that DJ Grooves knew that the bomb had been real, taking the Moon Penguin’s silence as the other not having put the pieces together. The alternative, that the voice in the back of his head was right and the Moon Penguin agreed, was just too much to consider.)

So deep in thought, he was, he almost missed the sound of the cab door opening.

“Conductor, I have my stuff! Turns out the passport doesn’t expire for another-- … are you alright?”

Quickly, he plastered a smile on his beak as he turned to face the hatted lass, internally wincing at the look of concern on her face.

“Aye, lass, Ah’m just grand. Feel free tae take a seat somewhere, it’ll be about an hour ‘fore we get to th’ Studio.”

She looked at him for a moment longer before slowly nodding.

“Okay, if you’re sure.”

“Ah’ll call ye when we’re five minutes out, alright, lassie?”

With another nod, she turned and left the cab. Sighing, he turned back to the controls.

“Keep it together, lad.”

Adjusting the brim of his hat, he set the train into motion.


	3. Stressed Out

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> chapter song: [Stressed Out by Twenty One Pilots](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gc4sY98Jn9I)

The trip to the Studio was largely unremarkable. There was a minor celebration when the Express Owls boarded and saw Hat Kid; many of them had gotten attached to the little lass during her time at Dead Bird Studio when she was hunting for Time Pieces and they had been sad to see her go. The Conductor hid a smile as the sound of loud giggling reached his ears when he stepped into the last car, watching quietly as the hatted lass joked around with some of the younger Owls. Glancing at his pocketwatch, he stepped forward and cleared his throat.

“We’re five minutes out, lads and lasses! Make sure ye gather any and all luggage before disembarking!”

There was a kerfuffle as people headed back to their seats, grabbing bags and briefcases. He stepped back, watching Hat Kid secure her backpack on her shoulders before waving to the owls and heading over, smiling brightly at him.

“I’m ready to go!”

He nodded, ears twitching in amusement.

“Ah can see that. Have a gud time yappin wi’ th’ Owls?”

She nodded, smile softening to something a little smaller and a little sadder.

“It was good to see them all again, they had a lot to catch me up on. I hadn’t realised how long it’d been - even before I left, it had been a good few weeks since the last time we all just talked like that. I’m definitely gonna do that more often, with everyone else as well.”

He nodded again, understanding.

“Fair enough, lass. Ah came up with a list of stuff tae get done, mostly tae set ye up livin’ here, but most of it can wait, if ye’d rather spend some time catchin’ up wi’ everyone ferst.”

Her smile faded completely, overtaken by a look of seriousness.

“Let’s get that done first. I’d… rather not have it hanging over me, honestly.”

He internally winced, not missing the drop in her mood.

“It really can wait, but if yer sure. Ah gotta head back to th’ cab, stop th’ train, but ye can stay down here and disembark wi’ th’ Owls, if ye want.”

He turned to leave, ear twitching at the sound of footsteps behind him.

“I’ve never actually seen you drive the train - mind if I watch?”

He threw a grin over his shoulder at her.

“‘Course, lassie! Ah’m never one to miss a chance to show off me pride and joy.”

He gave the door of the cab a pat as they walked through before heading up to the controls, noting the distance to the stop before beginning the process of stopping the train. Disengaging the autopilot, the brake was slowly applied, easing the speed down in a gentle gradient that he knew would barely be felt by anyone riding the train. They slid to a gentle stop at the station behind the Studio, the computer sending out the automated message before shutting off. Turning, he saw her gaping at him, eyes wide with awe.

"I didn't know the train had an on-board computer too!"

He smiled, running a hand along the control panel.

"Aye lass, she does. She used tae be an old steam liner, back when Ah bought her - retrofitting was one of th' last things me ex-wife helped me do 'fore we split up."

"You have a wife? I mean, of course you do - you have grandkids after all - but you've never mentioned her before."

He froze, smile slipping away as he realised the full extent of his answer.

"Ah… yeah, lassie, Ah did."

Hearing the intake of breath, he winced and cut her off.

"If ye dinnae mind, lass, Ah don't much feel like talkin' about it."

He saw her sag out of the corner of his vision.

"Oh, right. Sorry."

Seeing her dejected expression, he felt his conviction waver.

"It's not a happy story, lass. 'Sides, we keep chinwaggin' like this, we'll be late! Ye wanna see DJ Peck Neck at some point, don'tcha?"

He knew his subject change had worked when she perked up again, eyes sparkling.

"Yeah! Come on, let's go surprise him!"

She bolted out the cab, sprinting down the car before the door closed behind her and removed her from view. Chuckling slightly, he engaged the grav-clamp and made his own way out, feathers rustling slightly in the breeze outside. He caught up with her just outside the doors, eyeing the way she bounced in excitement as he unlocked and opened them.

“Looks like the peck neck ain’t here yet - ye’ll have tae wait fer him tae arrive ‘fore ye surprise him, lassie.

She pouted, though he saw the mischief in her eyes and laughed.

“In th’ meantime, ye can help me set up fer filmin’ - earn yerself a little bag of Pons fer shoppin' later."

He'd already started walking into the building when she responded, voice bright.

"So I'm actually getting paid this time?"

He stumbled on nothing, spinning around to face her.

"Th' peck do ye mean, _this time_?"

She stopped when he did, a slightly sheepish expression on her face.

"I _mean_ that I… y'know… didn't get paid… last time? By either of you."

For a moment, he could do nothing but stare in open-beaked disbelief. Snapping his jaws shut, he took a deep breath.

"Right! Change of plans. Ferst order of business is tae get ye yer backpay, with interest fer holdin' it this long. Second order of business is _findin' the money-hoardin' peck neck who kept it from ye and firin' them!_ "

Foreseeing her protest, he held a hand up to stop her.

"Ah _always_ pay me actors a fair sum fer their work, yer no exception. Ye deserve yer wages, no ifs, ands, or buts about it. Whomever kept them from ye is either a peckin' fool or a peckin' thief and I dinnae stand either."

He could see her wavering, looking unsure. Stepping close, he placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Lass, ye were done wrong in the past - by me, by DJ Peck Neck, by the studio itself fer this. Let us make it up tae ye by fixin' what we can and rebuildin' what we can't."

(Privately, he knew - this wasn't nearly enough. A few hundred Pons would never be enough for her, not after all the times he hurt her, not for almost killing her. But he also knew that it was a start.)

After a moment, she slowly nodded.

"Alright. But-- don't fire them? Please? Not if they just made an honest mistake. I don't want to ruin someone's livelihood like that."

Smiling slightly, he nodded.

"Sure, lass. Now, c'mon, let's get ye paid."


	4. Message Man

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> chapter song: [Message Man by Twenty One Pilots](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iE_54CU7Fxk)  
> side note: made my test audience cry with this chapter lmao

Having sorted out the backpay situation - as it turned out, the Express Owl who had been tasked with giving the hatted lass her pay had been found by the Moon Penguins on the night of the award ceremony and tied up on one of the stages. By the time he'd been found and freed, all thoughts of completing his task were gone, as was the hatted lass - he set everyone to work, preparing for the day's filming. He was just in the middle of talking to one of the lead actors when the doors to his side of the studio slammed open with a flamboyant--

"Darling, darling, you're so rude!"

Looking back, he would realise that three things happened in short order:

First, the impact of the door on the wall shook the overhead lights, causing one to come uncoupled from the frame and fall, shattering on the floor below.

Simultaneously, one of the sawblades in the sawmill prop popped off, spinning across the floor with a loud buzzing sound.

And finally, his stopwatch went off with a loud beeping noise.

In the moment, the only thing he was cognisant of was the loud, terrified scream that came from the hatted lass behind him.

Quickly turning around, he saw her crouched close to the floor, tears streaming from screwed shut eyes. Both hands were clamped around her side, and for a horrible moment, he flashed back to the night of the Awards, seeing her crouched like that, blood spilling out from between her fingers, the beeping of his bomb on her back. He was moving before he realised, kneeling at her side, hands gripping carefully to her shoulders.

"Lass! Lass, listen to me, yer alright! Yer not there, yer in me part of the Studio, we were just filmin' the rescue scene fer me latest film."

Carefully easing one hand from her side, he placed it on his chest, over his heart, knowing she would be able to feel it even through his shirt and waistcoat.

"C'mon, lass, breathe with me. In and out."

He took several exaggerated breaths, watching her carefully. Slowly, her hyperventilating sobs slowed, shaky breaths replacing them. Her other hand let go of her side, coming up to wipe her eyes before gripping the brim of her hat. He gently squeezed her shoulders, trying to catch her gaze.

“Ye with me, lass?”

She nodded slightly, then launched herself at him, clutching him in a tight hug. He bit back a squawk, instead wrapping his arms around her to rub circles into her shaking back.

“Yer alright, lass, Ah promise.”

After a minute or so, her trembling subsided and she let go, sniffling slightly. Standing, he helped her up, taking the water bottle one of the owls passed him and handing it to her. Distinctive footsteps behind him had him spinning around, biting back smoke as a knife all but leapt into his hand.

“Back off, peck neck.”

DJ Grooves stilled, flippers raised in surrender. He looked stricken, regret in every line, but the Conductor couldn’t stamp out the remaining sparks of parental anger, not when he could feel her hands clutching the back of his jacket.

“I-I wanted to apologise--”

He growled, the sound reverberating through his chest.

“Ah said, _back. Off._ In fact, get outta me studio entirely. Yer bloody _apology_ can wait.”

It was only when the Moon Penguin glanced around that he remembered the audience that had been watching the entire mess. To his surprise, when he looked around himself, he noticed the owls were much closer than they had been previously, their usual nervousness a shade of its normal presence. Every face was hard as they congregated around him and the child behind him - belatedly, he realised they were closing ranks.

“Of course, darling. Send for me when you’re ready.”

The Conductor didn’t look away from the other director as he walked hastily away, waiting until the doors closed with a quiet click before turning to the child behind him once again, stashing his knife back in his pocket. She had let go of his jacket when DJ Peck Neck walked away, but she was still huddling close to him, face flushed from tears and the heat he was unintentionally putting off. Quickly, he tamped down on his fire, exhaling carefully, knowing the chiaroscuro of the studio would hide the whirls of smoke.

“Ah think now would be a gud time fer a break. Be back in fifteen minutes - and someone watch that peckin’ door.”

The owls dispersed, leaving him alone with Hat Kid. He knelt in front of her, taking her hands. She sniffled, chuckling slightly.

“N-Not how I imagined that would go.”

He huffed out a small laugh himself.

“Ah can imagine.”

He paused a moment, still trying to catch her gaze. Slowly, she glanced up from the floor, looking at him.

“Y’know, I tore him a new one fer what he did that night.”

She blinked at him, eyes widening slightly.

“You did?”

“‘Course Ah did! He’s supposed tae be a professional, but he let the power of the Time Piece get to his head and almost killed ye because of it.”

To his surprise, she quickly shook her head, tearing up again.

“It was my fault, not his! If I’d just been less selfish, h-he’d--”

“--have changed time out of some misguided belief that Ah’d cheated him outta awards he didnae earn in the ferst place. He’d’ve erased all of that history so he could rewrite it to fit his whims - hell, he might’ve even gone so far as tae erase me along with it!”

He released one of her hands, gently wiping away a tear.

“Lass, Ah fully agree with yer decision to prevent anyone usin’ the Time Pieces - not least of all because of what happened when someone went behind yer back and used them anyway. They’re yer property, ye have th’ right to say how they’re used.”

Her voice was barely more than a whisper when she responded, sucking in a shaking breath.

“Y-you really think so?”

His heart ached again as he wiped away another tear, smoothing her hair back away from her face.

“O’course, lass. With all me heart.”

He sighed, taking off his hat and running his talons through his headfeathers, glancing away.

"'Course, that peck neck isnae th' only one who owes ye an apology. Ah owe ye one too - honestly, Ah shoulda given it sooner."

Looking back, he saw the bafflement in her face and continued.

"Ah was a right prick to ye when Ah had no reason tae be. Ah yelled at ye, threatened ye with prison, put ye in unnecessary danger fer the sake of a movie - hell, Ah coulda killed ye with Train Rush! Ye and everyone else aboard me train! 

"When Ah saw how DJ Peck Neck was actin' when he had the Time Piece, Ah realised that, if the roles were reversed, Ah'd've acted the same way. Ah _was_ actin' the same way. It shouldnae taken DJ Peck Neck goin' crazy fer me to realise how much of a peck neck Ah was bein', especially given how much he hurt ye."

Absently, he realised he was crushing his conductor's cap in his talons and tried to relax his grip, meeting the hatted lass' astonished gaze.

"Lass, Ah could never apologise enough fer what Ah've done tae ye. But Ah'll try, if ye'll let me."

Silence reigned for a second, his insides twisting like someone had stuck a knife in and pulled. Anxiety beat on the inside of his head like a drum, the dark voice in the back of his head screaming that he'd done too much, that she could never--

"I already forgave you."

_… what?_

He stared at her in soundless shock. She was smiling at him, a mixture of sadness and pride in the expression.

"Conductor, the moment I realised it was you at the other end of the phone, I knew you couldn't be as bad as you appeared. You helping me in that fight, your clearly changed behaviour, only cemented that opinion. Then, later on, with the cruise - you could have gone to the indoor bar, but you chose the bar right next to the playroom. And when the ship was sinking, I didn't find you at the bar, I found you in that playroom. And then the fight against Mustache Girl… you died to help me."

In a reverse of their previous positions, she put her hands on his shoulders, gripping gently.

"I forgave you ages ago."

He swallowed, voice croaky.

"It cannae be that easy."

"Sometimes it just is."

He stared for a moment more before cracking a small smile.

"Yer wise beyond yer years, lassie. Thank ye."

Her smile grew wider.

"And thank you for apologising."

Clearing his throat, he straightened his hat and set it back on his head, quickly checking his watch.

"Th' Express Owls'll be back in a minute - ye alright tae continue filmin'?"

She flashed him a grin and a thumbs up. Chuckling, he nodded back.

"Then let's get tae it."


	5. Epoch

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> chapter song: [Epoch by Savlonic (TheLivingTombstone Remix)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K3m3_7RoGZk)

It took several weeks to get everything sorted. Between organising citizenship, formalising a rent agreement and work contract, and sorting out the million and one other things that popped up, both on and off set, it had taken far longer than expected to finally square everything away. Now that it was all finished, he was taking an evening to relax before getting back to work, editing his latest movie.

Or, at least, that had been the _plan_.

“Of peckin’ course, someone had to break a peckin’ set. Cannae leave fer five peckin’ minutes without somethin’ goin’ wrong…”

Grumbling, he stalked through the basement of Dead Bird Studios, a note fisted in one hand. It had been dropped off by one of the Express Owls who lived nearby - one of the studio owls had broken an important set and would it be possible for him to come check out the damage? He’d set off immediately, spending the hour it took to get from the last station to the studio stewing in his anger in the cab.

“I peckin’ bet th’ peckin’ owl got lost on th’ way here… be comin’ down here fer nothin’...”

Finally reaching the last elevator, he entered and hit the button, crossing his arms and tapping a foot impatiently as he waited for it to reach the bottom.

_Strange that they’d ask to meet down here… the last time anyone was down here was during the Time Piece fiasco…_

The elevator dinged before he could muse much further. Stalking out, he stomped his way down the short hallway, stepping out onto the set with a scowl.

“Alright, Ah’m here - where th’ peck are ye?”

“Conductor?”

He abruptly turned, hand twitching towards the inner pocket where he kept a knife as he realised who it was behind him.

“DJ Peck Neck? Th’ peck are ye doin’ here?”

The Moon Penguin was sat in the bleachers off to the side, looking confused. He held up a small slip of paper.

“One of the Moon Penguins gave me this note, said someone wanted to meet me down here. Was it you?”

He snorted, feeling a wave of disgust roll through him.

“Me? Meet ye? Not on yer peckin’ life!”

_Though… hold on a second._

“Did ye say ye got a note?”

The other director nodded, standing and moving closer.

“Why? Did you get one too?”

“Aye. Said one of th’ Express Owls broke a set, wanted me tae come check the damage.”

Grooves frowned.

“I can’t say that I like this."

The Conductor hummed, wary displeasure twisting his beak. Something about this rubbed him entirely the wrong way - it was setting him on edge.

“Well, if this was some kind of prank, I’m failing to see the funny side. I’m leaving.”

The Moon Penguin moved towards the exit, but yelped in shock as all the lights turned off. Immediately, the Conductor pulled out a knife, ears twitching as he sought to locate the source of the sudden darkness.

**“You FOOLS!!!!!!!! You walked right into my trap!”**

The lights came back on. He growled.

“Shoulda guessed ye had somethin’ tae do with this, ye peckin’ shade.”

On the stage, the Snatcher cackled with manic glee.

**“So you DO recognise me! I must say, I’m impressed! Though I suppose if anyone would know me, it would be you!”**

He could feel Grooves’ confused glances, even as the other director moved to stand beside him.

“I’m afraid I don’t, darling - mind introducing yourself and telling us what you’re doing in our studio at this time of night?”

**“Snatcher, King of the Subcon Forest, at your service! Or, should I say - you’re at my service!”**

The Conductor growled again, stalking forward, knife out.

“Ah dinnae know what kinda peck yer brain’s filled with, but Ah’m not doin’ peck all for ye! Ah heard what ye did to th’ hatted lass, Ah’m not fallin’ fer the same trick!”

The ghost's grin grew wider.

**"Bold of you to assume you'll have a choice in the matter, my dear director!"**

He stilled, realising his mistake. He turned to run, opening his mouth to warn the other bird, only curse instead. Purple tendrils had shot up from the ground, separating them from the exit.

**"Now then - will you try and run still, or will you read and sign?"**

A pair of scrolls appeared in the air before them, along with a pair of quills. The Conductor grabbed his, scanning over the text with a practised eye. Immediately, his talons punctured holes in the parchment as he read the title. Grooves’ voice was thick with horror.

“Contract - Kill Hat Kid…?”

The Snatcher cackled.

**“Got a problem with that, tubby? You’re the last person I expected to object, considering your history with her.”**

Out of the corner of his vision, he saw the Moon Penguin blanch. He immediately threw down the parchment and stepped forward, jaw clenched. Part of him wanted to scream at the ghost, to rage and to fight, but the rest of him knew he had to go carefully.

"Can we have a moment tae confer?"

Snatcher's grin grew wider.

"Of course! Just remember - I'm not a patient ghost, so don't take too much time!"

Conductor quickly turned to face the other, taking the opportunity he'd gotten them with both hands. Keeping his voice low, he pulled the other down to his height, murmuring roughly in his ear.

"Listen up, Peck Neck, we dinnae have much time. Go to me office, there's a phone on th' wall - use it, dial two, and when it connects, warn th' hatted lass."

Now kneeling, Grooves' eyes widened behind his sunglasses. 

"Me? Darling, surely you should--"

Conductor bit back a frustrated growl.

"One of us has to hold th' ghost off for us tae be able tae pull this off, and Ah have advantages ye don't."

Sighing, he took off his hat, running his talons through his headfeathers.

"Ah hate this just as much as ye, but we dinnae have a choice. Th' peck neck'll force our hand intae signin' somehow, Ah just know it. At least if we do this, th' hatted lass'll have a good shot at gettin' away."

He could feel Grooves' stare as he kept his gaze on the floor.

"... you really love her, don't you?"

He wrestled with the truth for a moment, not wanting to vocalise it. He lost everyone he loved - it was his curse. The last thing he wanted to do was add her to that list. But he knew that he could end up losing her anyway, especially if she did what he suspected she would. Slumping, he replaced his hat on his head, shading his face with the brim.

"... she's like a daughter tae me."

He jumped at the sudden touch of a flipper on his shoulder, looking back up at the other.

"Alright. Let's do this."

They shared a nod, then, as one, they both turned back to face the specter. Conductor stepped forward, placing himself front and centre.

"Alright, laddie, we'll play yer game."

He took a deep breath, summoning up memories of nights with his first wife, remembering the steps she had taught him.

"But. Yer on our terf now. So ye'll play by our rules."

Releasing that breath, tasting the smoke that flowed out with it, he did something he'd never done before.

He began to dance.

Turning his gaze inward, shutting out everything around him, he threw himself into those memories. The studio turned into the open desert, the lights around becoming a roaring bonfire. Her smile, wide and bright, as she guided him through the steps. Him, fumbling just once before instinct took over.

A sharp gasp drew him back to the present. Still dancing, he looked up, seeing the wall of rainbow fire boxing the Snatcher in, his grin twisted to a snarl. He smirked.

"Not what ye were expectin', laddie?"

Turning slightly, he threw a command over his shoulder.

"Don't just stand there, Grooves - get goin'!"

A startled squawk was swiftly followed by the sound of hurried footsteps and the slam of a door. Focusing back on the ghost, he let the smirk grow, dancing closer and closer, the box growing smaller with every step.

"Now, Ah've got a bone to pick with ye, laddie. Ye thought ye could get away with stealin' Hat Kid's soul? With tryin' tae kill her?"

He laughed, the sound not at all amused.

"Not on my peckin' watch, ye don't."

The ghost growled, backing away from the flames.

**"She came into my forest, stole my property - she even cheated me out of several contracts!"**

"Yer a terrible liar, ye peckin’ shade. Ah know what went down in Subcon Forest - she told me herself, and Ah believe her far more than Ah believe ye."

He stalked forward, shoving his sleeves to his elbows as flames began to lick down his forearms.

“This whole world would be better off if ye just laid down and died!”

**"What, like YOU almost did?"**

That stopped him cold. His flinch rippled through the barrier, the flames sputtering before he hastily continued the dance, clenching his jaw. The core of him was starting to ache - lack of use had made his internal flame dim.

"Ah did no such thing."

**"Honestly, I really shouldn't've been surprised by this - fire spirits are a suicidal lot. Do you really think I wouldn't notice when someone starts trying to join my forest?"**

He was trembling now, shaking with the effort of keeping the barrier up.

**"And you almost brought all those owls with you! It would have been such a party - all those delicious souls, all mine for the taking!"**

His ears flattened against his head. He wasn't listening, he wasn't listening--!

**"And the _little hatted lass_ , too! How close was it - quarter of a second? An eighth? She cried about it, you know. She was so scared of the big, bad Conductor!"**

He flinched again. That was all it took.

The Snatcher lunged forward, through the fire, grabbing him by the neck and lifting him into the air. He flailed, talons immediately going to the other's hand, trying to relieve some of the crushing pressure. The ghost laughed, gripping tighter.

**"I have to admit, I'm impressed! You genuinely caught me off guard with that reveal! But all you've done is pissed me off!"**

The ghost squeezed. The owl fought harder, darkness taking the edges of his vision. His limbs were growing heavier and heavier. After a few seconds, they dropped, his vision almost completely gone.

"Let him go!"

The voice came through like it was underwater. He clung to it, desperately fighting to stay conscious.

"He can't sign if he's dead! Let him go right now!"

**"... fiiine."**

The pressure around his neck was released. He sucked in a gasp, only to have it knocked out of him when he hit the floor. Immediately his hands went to his neck, curling into a tight ball on his side to protect his organs. A pair of flippers rolled him onto his back, trying to coax his hands down to his sides.

"I can't see the damage if you're strangling yourself, darling. Come on, it'll be easier to breathe if you relax."

Reluctantly, he uncurled, allowing the other to tip his head back. It was easier to breathe like this, though each breath burned through his throat with a painful rasp. Careful flippers turned his head, brushing gently against his neck and holding still when he flinched back.

“Don’t try and talk for a while - your throat’s badly bruised, and I really don’t like the sound of your breathing.”

He nodded, carefully sitting up with the Moon Penguin’s help. He didn’t miss how Grooves had placed himself between him and the ghost, nor the way the Moon Penguin’s flippers were trembling. They both flinched when the Snatcher loomed closer, looking annoyed.

**“Enough dawdling - sign, now. Or I’ll have to start taking souls - it’s been a while since I’ve tasted baby owl.”**

He bit back a growl, feeling his feathers fluff up in rage. He could tell DJ Grooves was equally pissed by that threat, but they both knew the severity of the situation. The scrolls floated back into their faces, quills pointing at their faces threateningly. He tore his out of midair, squeezing to the point he felt it crack under his talons. Scrawling his signature, he twitched when the contract vanished in a puff of purple smoke, the quill vanishing with it. Beside him, Grooves couldn’t quite stifle a surprised yelp. The Snatcher grinned at the two of them.

**“Now that that’s settled…”**

The Conductor froze before doubling over, agony racing through him. Everything was so cold, a numbing, freezing feeling filling him as his breath left him in a rush. Absently, the small part of him that was still coherent realised that, in taking his soul, the ghost had put out his internal flame. The rest of him was too busy reeling in shock and pain.

“--ductor! Connie, darling, breathe!”

He sucked in a sharp gasp that turned into a long coughing fit, his battered throat aching. Grooves had a flipper around him, keeping him upright. It was only when he felt the Moon Penguin’s voice rumble through his back did he realise he had been pulled to be practically sitting in the other bird’s lap.

“What did you do to him?!”

**“Took his soul, same as yours. Probably reacted so harshly because he’s part fire spirit.”**

The ghost clapped his hands together, making them both flinch.

**“Well, I’m almost done here! Just have to add the finishing touches. Hmmm… around the wrists for you, Moon Penguin. But for you, fire spirit, for daring to try and move against me--”**

A heavy weight cinched tightly around his neck. He flinched hard, a hand flying up to try and pull it off.

**“--I’ll put it around your neck! Don’t try and take it off - it’ll only get tighter, y’know! Hahahahahahahahaha!!”**

He quickly let go of the string, wincing. It was just this side of uncomfortable, pressing against the bruises already present. The ghost vanished in a puff of purple smoke, his laugh still ringing through the air. After a moment, a grumble split the silence that took him a moment to place.

“That-- that-- _peck neck!_ ”

He started, leaning back to stare incredulously at the other bird. Grooves looked enraged, beak twisted into a snarl, flippers curled into fists.

“How dare he! How dare he hurt you like that! And then to rub salt in the wound with these… pecking strings!”

The other director dissolved into angry grumbling, abruptly standing and beginning to pace. The Conductor raised a hand to the string around his neck, carefully running a talon over it. It exuded magic, a cold spot even despite his now freezing state. Belatedly, he realised he was shivering, ears pressed flat to his head. Grooves clearly noticed too, for he stopped pacing and knelt in front of him.

“Are you alright, Conductor? You just-- collapsed. I thought he’d killed you for a second.”

He opened his mouth to respond, but the ache in his throat made him think twice about that. Instead, he raised his hands, hoping the other knew Sign.

[“Been better. Think he was right.”]

Confusion flashed across the other’s face, swiftly followed by understanding.

“So you really are…?”

He nodded, shifting to sit crosslegged. Grooves followed suit, sitting in front of him, absently worrying at one of his strings.

“I did wonder. I wasn’t sure what you were doing at first - I’ve never actually seen a fire spirit in person. But then you started smoking, and the barrier flared into existence…”

He trailed off. The Conductor focused on preening his forearms, his feathers having gotten very ruffled when he was choked out and then dropped. The invasive cold was making his hands tremble, forcing him to go far slower than normal. He let out a frustrated huff, fisting his talons.

“I got the message out. The little darling knows that we’ve been forced into a contract to kill her, and that she should stay away until we can figure out how to escape it.”

[“She won’t.”]

“Pardon? I didn’t catch that.”

He looked up at Grooves, signing again. Grooves looked resigned.

“No. She won’t.”

A long silence followed. Then the string pulsed around his neck, and he knew no more.


	6. I Got No Time

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter song: [I Got No Time by TheLivingTombstone](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YREhVveHq9k)

“Mmnh-- hello?”

_“Darling, listen to me, I don’t have much time.”_

“Grooves?”

_“The Snatcher is here, in the studio - he’s trying to force us into a contract. He wants us to kill you.”_

“Grooves, what--?”

_“The Conductor is buying me time to pass on this warning, darling! Please, for his sake, just listen to me!”_

“...”

_“The Snatcher is trying to force us into a contract to make us kill you. Neither of us can see a way out of it - he’ll make us sign, one way or another. You need to stay away from the studio, for your own safety. Neither of us want to hurt you-- we’ll send word once we’ve figured out a way to escape the contract, just please, please, stay away from Dead Bird Studios! I--”_

“Grooves, what was that crash--?!”

_“I have to go.”_

Click.

-=-=-=-=-

Her hands were trembling as she threw on her clothes, rushing through the process and growling in terrified frustration when she got tangled in her tunic. Tears blurred her vision as she ran from the bedroom, pulling her boots on as she went, diving to pick up her phone and dial a number she knew like the back of her hand.

_“Bow Kid here.”_

“Bow!”

_“Hattie?”_

“Bow, Bow, I made a mistake, I made a terrible, t-terrible mistake--”

_“Whoa, whoa, slow down, Hattie! What happened?”_

“You remember th-the Snatcher, a-and the contracts he made m-me do? H-he gave me a b-bunch more a-and I d-didn’t th-think much of them at the t-time because they w-were super easy a-and it wasn’t anyth-thing I h-hadn’t done before a-and I thought the n-name was just a f-fun j-joke b-but now h-he’s h-hurt my d-dad and D-DJ Grooves and h-he wants them t-to kill me a-and _Idon’tknowwhattodo!_ ”

_“HATTIE!”_

She sucked in a sobbing gasp, hyperventilating.

_“Hattie, listen to me, you need to calm down. I think I got most of that, but you can’t do anything if you’re spiralling. We’ll figure something out, I promise you. But I need you to take some deep breaths for me first, alright?”_

“O-okay.”

She closed her eyes, doing her best to steady her breathing. The counting from the other end of the line gave her something to time it to and she seized it with both hands.

_“There, just like that. Now, what I got from that was this Snatcher guy is making you do more contracts, but before now they’ve been relatively simple and or easy to do. Why is this one different?”_

“Grooves called just a few minutes ago, said he broke into Dead Bird Studios and was forcing both him and m-my dad into a contract. He said that the Snatcher wanted them to k-kill me and th-that--”

A wave of horror washed over her, cutting off her words with a sharp gasp.

“Dad! He s-said Dad was holding Snatcher off-- what if Snatcher hurt him?!”

_“Whoa there, stay with me Hattie. We don’t know that for sure and we won’t find out until you get there. Don’t get tangled in the what-ifs, alright?”_

“R-right…”

_“Do you think the two of them can hold out for the hour or so it’ll take me to get there?”_

She worried at her lip, wincing when she accidentally bit through and drew blood.

“I-I-I… I don’t know. I don’t know if I can wait that long.”

_“Then here’s what we’ll do. You go to Dead Bird Studios, you do some recon - find out what’s happened, find out the situation. If it can hold for a bit, you wait for me outside the studio and we’ll handle it together. If not, you go ahead and deal with it and I’ll join you when I get there. Which telescope do you have set to the studio?”_

“Th-the one in the mechanics room - it’s on the observation platform.”

_“Is there a way for you to contact me when you get into the studio?”_

“Yeah - Dad’s office has a telephone. I’ll take a look around and call you from there - though…”

She trailed off, thinking.

_“Though?”_

“I’m just thinking - all the other tasks that I’ve done so far, they all took place in the places I did them the first time. Even the fight with the Mafia Boss - that took place on his stage in the Mafia Lair. If the pattern continues, then they’ll be down in the deep basement of the studio. I won’t be able to sneak back away if they’re down there; the elevator is loud, they’ll hear me coming.”

_“Let’s work off that assumption then. If I get a call from you, I’ll know they aren’t down there. If I don’t, I know they will be. How do I get down there?”_

“The telescope will take you to just inside the doors of the studio - go into the foyer, there’s a vent above the reception desk. Climb up there, then work your way through the studio. You’ll pass one of Dad’s sets, then come to a small dressing area with an elevator. Use the elevator, then just continue the path down. I-it’s a little twisted and convoluted, I can’t explain the path off the top of my head--”

_“I’ve always had a better head for directions than you, Hattie. I’ll figure it out.”_

The amusement in her best friend’s voice made her relax, a small giggle escaping her.

“Y-yeah.”

_“Go save your dad and DJ Grooves. I’ll join you when I get there.”_

“Right.”

Hanging the receiver back on the hook, she took a deep breath, adjusting the brim of her hat. The march to the mechanics room felt entirely too short for the dread it brought up in her and she hesitated for just a second on the telescope before activating the travel function.

She had a dad to save.

And DJ Grooves too.


	7. Killing Two Birds Anticipation

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> chapter song: [Killing Two Birds Anticipation from the A Hat in Time OST](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3qq4fi1XPco)  
> side note: this was originally gonna be written to Killing Two Birds, then i remembered a thing... (also i'm aware that in the killing two birds challenge the bomb stays active until you beat both directors but i felt hat kid needed a break lmao)

Sneaking back through the studio was almost easier than the first time she’d done it - easier because at least now she knew where she was going, but infinitely harder because she knew what to expect. The silence was broken only by her footsteps and the occasional metallic SCHNK! of her grappling line. By the time she got to the Conductor’s office, she was almost shaking with dread.

“Bow, it’s me. I was right, they’re down in the lowest basement.”

_“I’ve managed to eek a little more speed out of my ship - I’m now only a half hour out. But you can’t wait that long, can you?”_

“No.”

She bit her lip at the exhale from the other end of the line.

“I gotta do this, Bow. D-- The Conductor and DJ Grooves are in this mess because of me, I have to get them out of it.”

_“I know, Hattie. You got this. I’ll come meet you as soon as I can, lend a hand if needed.”_

She smiled.

“Thanks Bow. I really owe you one.”

_“No need! Now, get going!”_

“Right!”

Replacing the receiver back on the hook, she took a deep breath, double checking her badges. She had the Time Stop hat equipped, figuring that whatever twist Snatcher would throw into the fight, the ability to slow things down for a sec would come in handy. Fast Hatter badge to reduce the cooldown on the ability, and the Hover and Hookshot badges to get down there. Looking through her collection, she considered swapping Hover for Projectile, but shook her head.

_My projectiles haven’t been much use in the boss fights so far. I’m just stalling at this point._

“Okay!”

Shaking her head again, she slapped her cheeks and took a deep breath.

“You got this, just like Bow said. Just go down there and figure out a way to break the contract.”

Taking another deep breath, she walked into the elevator and the button.

_You got this. You got this. I’m coming, guys - just hold on a little longer!_

The dinging of the doors made her jump. She swallowed, gripping her umbrella tighter as she headed down the long hallway. Already she could see lights beaming down onto the same dance floor as before, though strangely some weren’t the previous disco lights that she knew DJ Grooves preferred. Suddenly, the flavor text on the contract came back to her.

“This next project is a collaboration… oh no.”

Sure enough, when she stepped out into the room, the bleachers were full of a mix of owls and penguins, the two directors stood on the stage before her. Her mouth went dry, the scar in her side aching. The Conductor began to laugh - though, strangely, his voice was raspy, almost strained.

“Oh, hoh hoh! Look who we have here! Guess ye found me little basement, eh?”

Grooves stepped forward, looking pissed.

“This last Time Piece is all for me, darling. If you want it, well. I guess you’ll just have to come and get it!”

The pair of them leapt at her. She shrieked, narrowly dodging the pair of them, managing to clip the Moon Penguin on a backswing. He flinched back, one hand twitching towards his face before jumping back onto the stage. 

_Wait-- what was--?_

Before she could finish her thought, a stage light crashed to the ground, narrowly missing her. She immediately began running, green light streaming from her as time slowed.

_Peck! I forgot about the Conductor! Gotta focus, else I’m pretty sure they’ll kill me!_

Time sped back up, the rest of the lights crashing to the floor in the space she had been previously. Grooves had recovered by this point, descending from the ceiling on a giant disco ball, screaming something she didn’t quite hear as she dodged another bodyslam from the Conductor, whacking him across the face with her umbrella. This time she caught a clear sight of it and blanched.

_Holy peck-- that’s a string around his neck! Snatcher, what have you done?!_

So caught up in her horror she was, she was unprepared for the shockwave that came from the disco ball’s landing. She went flying into one of the bleachers, almost knocking an Express Owl to the floor. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw another glowing string around the owl’s wrists.

_He got them all!_

A sudden wave of fury washed over her. Using the bleachers as leverage, she shot forward, homing into DJ Grooves and using the bounceback from the attack to get a hit in on the Conductor. The pair of them leapt back onto the stage, screaming something at her. But her heart pounding in her ears drowned them out.

_I swear on my soul, Snatcher - I am going to MAKE YOU PAY FOR THIS!_

Deftly dodging the knives they launched at her, she dealt another couple of blows to them before double-jumping away for homing attacks as they tried a slower approach. The lights went out again as the Conductor started throwing, but he wasn’t able to dodge the disco ball shockwave courtesy of DJ Grooves, leaving him open for another homing attack.

The sound of a whistle caught her off guard. A gust of wind sent her sailing into the centre of the dance floor before two garage doors opened, unleashing a traffic jam’s worth of moon cars.

_This is… a lot more than before…!_

Quickly, she activated her hat, jumping out of the way as they began to crash into one another, hiding in a corner where they couldn’t hit her. The lights went out again and she cursed the cooldown on her hat, only narrowly escaping the cutlery drawer’s worth of knives tossed her way. She whipped around, slamming her umbrella down on DJ Grooves before hurriedly leaping into the air as several disco balls slammed into the ground, turning a desperate dive into a homing attack.

Her landing was less than ideal, stumbling into the bleachers on shaking legs. Her chest heaved in sharp gasps, sweat beginning to run into her eyes and make her grip on her umbrella slick. She allowed herself a small whimper as both directors leapt back onto the stage, preparing for their next attack.

_Please, let this be over soon! I don’t know if I can keep going!_

The lights went out again. She braced for knives, blinking in confusion when none appeared.

“Wh-- aah!”

A whole host of flippers and hands shoved her to the ground, tightening straps and lugging something onto her shoulders. An ominous beep sounded in her ear. She went cold.

_Not this again!_

She almost sobbed, looking over her shoulder as the lights went on. Sure enough, that dreaded bomb was strapped to her back, the stopwatch tied to her wrist with just over 3 minutes remaining. Immediately, she cast her eyes around, trying to locate the directors.

_I need to hurry!_

Thankfully, they were both just skating around her - easy targets for a pair of homing attacks. They leapt away to opposite corners of the room, forcing her to keep turning to see the pair of them. The loud buzzing sound of sawblades made her flinch, panic-activating her hat as she ran in circles to avoid being hit. She wasn’t sure how long this went on - dodging sawblades and sending in a hit when she saw a chance. Her hands were shaking on her umbrella, tiny cuts littering her arms and legs from shrapnel caused by the sawblades.

It was the tiniest slip up - a mistimed jump that had her landing too early, still in the path of one of the sawblades.

Desperately, she leapt into the air, double jumping to try and get out of the way.

The air by the back of her neck split, the sawblade missing her by mere millimetres.

It didn’t, however, miss the antenna of the bomb.

She sobbed when it fell away, the straps unhooking from her. She gave it a kick, sending it spinning away under the stage. There was another sharp whistle and she flinched, whimpering again when she saw the Marching Owls jumping onto the dance floor, knives in hand. Immediately she activated her hat, throwing herself desperately at DJ Grooves. Her frantic attacks paid off, though, as the director screamed, collapsing to the floor, unconscious. Time sped up again, though, and she had to run as the owls caught back up to her.

_Just one more, just one more, just one more--!_

Out of desperation, she threw her umbrella like a javelin, wincing when it got the Conductor in the throat. He fell back, also unconscious, and the strings around the Marching Owls’ wrists snapped. They stopped, looking confused, as did the owls and penguins in the bleachers. She fell to her knees, gasping for breath.

“Is that the Conductor?”

“Oh man, DJ Grooves!”

“Let’s get out of here!”

The spectators fled en masse, cramming into the elevator or sprinting through the garage doors. Within moments, the room was empty aside from her and the two unconscious directors. She lowered her hand from where she’d futilely reached out, trying to call for help. Her gasps for breath became sobs, and she buried her face in her hands, curling into a tight ball.

“Ugh… darling?”

She looked up with a shivering breath, locking eyes with a confused looking DJ Grooves. He blinked at her from behind broken sunglasses, wincing as he sat up properly.

“What happened?”

Fresh tears welled up in her eyes again and she curled back up, the sobs coming thick and fast now. There was a sound like shuffling footsteps, then a warm flipper curled across her shoulders, pulling her into a broad chest mottled with bruises.

“Hey, hey, you’re alright. You’re okay. You did what you had to do, we’re going to be fine.”

The words washed over her as she curled tighter into him, still sobbing into his chest. Her cries echoed around the basement, the only sound remaining in the stillness.


	8. Killing Two Birds

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> chapter song: [Killing Two Birds from the A Hat in Time OST](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tln-_J1M2Q8)

Coming to consciousness was… unpleasant, to say the least.

Every part of him ached. His head pounded uncomfortably, though it was nothing to the sharp pain that flared in his throat when he groaned, the sound stuttering to a halt as he bit back the whimper it almost became. A gentle touch on his shoulder made him twitch, his surroundings coming into focus as he properly woke up. Someone was leaning over him - a round face topped with dark curls and a concerned expression.

“Mister Conductor? Are you awake?”

Realising it would probably be unwise to speak, he nodded, pushing her hand away when she tried to stop him from sitting up. His head ached harder, but he breathed through the pain, wincing at the exacerbated rasp. Glancing around, he noticed they weren’t in the basement anymore - rather, they were in his office, with him having been put on the small cot in the corner. Grooves perked up from his seat at the desk, looking relieved.

“Thank goodness. You were out a lot longer than I was, we were starting to get worried.”

Massaging his neck with one hand, he sloppily fingerspelled at the Moon Penguin with the other, tilting his head towards the now confused looking girl.

[“W-H-O S-H-E?”]

Grooves’ eyes narrowed in confusion before widening in realisation. He looked at the girl.

“Darling, he’s asking you to introduce yourself.”

She perked up.

“Oh! I’m Bow Kid, you can call me Bow. Hattie and I are from the same planet, I was also caught outside the time dilation. She picked up on my distress signal and sent me this planet’s co-ordinates.”

He nodded, relaxing slightly. He still had a million and one questions to ask, but the absence of someone was becoming increasingly apparent and it was starting to make him edgy. He flashed another couple signs at Grooves.

“H-K? Conductor, darling, I don’t know what that means.”

“I think he’s asking about Hattie.”

He nodded at Bow Kid, turning to face her with perked ears. She sent him a reassuring smile.

“She’s currently on her ship - the Snatcher--”

He flinched, talons flexing against his throat. Grooves growled again, folding his flippers across his chest. Bow stopped, watching the two of them worriedly.

“... what did he do to you two?”

He looked at Grooves, silently asking him to explain. The Moon Penguin nodded, shifting slightly, jaw set.

“That pecking shade forced us into a contract to try and kill the little darling.”

Bow rolled her eyes, folding her arms as well.

“I know that already - Hattie told me. But that reaction tells me something else happened during that confrontation.”

Some of the belligerence faded from Grooves’ countenance, replaced by uncertainty.

“W-well…”

The Moon Penguin met his gaze, raising an eyebrow in unsure askance. His beak twisted before he raised his hands.

[“I held the ghost off to buy time for G-R-O-O-V-E-S to pass on the warning. He managed to get past the barrier I put up and started choking me out. G-R-O-O-V-E-S got back just in time to stop him from killing me.”]

Bow went pale as Grooves translated, wringing her hands.

"You can't tell Hattie. She'll feel so guilty."

He stared at her. In his shock, he forgot that he really shouldn't be speaking and opened his mouth. He didn't even get through one words before dissolving into a coughing fit, leaning against the wall as he tried to catch his breath.

"Conductor!"

Irritably, he waved the pair of them off, massaging his neck again. Grooves sat back down, still looking worried but turning back to Bow.

"Why in stars' name should she feel guilty? This isn't her fault--"

He was cut off by the ringing of the phone. Bow Kid dived for it, hurriedly bringing the receiver to her mouth.

"Hattie! … yeah, yeah, they're both alright. Battered a little bit, but relatively unharmed. What about the Snatcher, did you manage to get him to leave?"

_That peck neck shade was in her ship?!_

Exchanging a worried glance with Grooves, he could tell the other bird was thinking much the same thing.

"Oh good, I'll teleport us back in a second then. See you in a moment!"

She hung up and turned to face them.

"I'm not authorised to bring more than one person with me, does one of you mind waiting here while I take the other back.

He shook his head, snapping his fingers to shut Grooves up.

["I'm on her system. I can teleport myself."]

Grooves stared at him.

"You're what??"

Bow looked between them.

"What? What is it?"

Heaving a silent sigh, he pulled out the fob she'd given him and pressed the button, vision fading to white and then back to color as he dematerialised and rematerialised back on the ship.

The only warning he got was a joyful shout of his name before something collided with him. He bit back a pained grunt, feeling small arms wrap around him. Carefully, he wiggled his arms out to pat Hat Kid on the back.

"You're okay! I was so worried, y-you didn't wake up r-right away like D-DJ Grooves did, a-and then I h-had to go d-deal with Snatcher so I c-couldn't stay, and--!"

"No hug for me, darling?"

"DJ Grooves!"

Immediately he was released in favor of the Moon Penguin. He breathed a silent sigh of relief, massaging his neck again. The wink the other bird sent him told him the distraction was intentional, so he nodded his gratitude. He glanced about, unable to see Bow anywhere in the mechanics room, then caught the doors opening as she returned with a glass of water and an ice pack.

"Here, this should ease your throat. Go steady, yeah?"

He nodded, taking the items. They did indeed make his throat feel several times better, though there was still a pervasive ache that didn't abate. However, Hat Kid didn't miss the exchange, going several shades paler when she saw the ice pack.

"I'm so sorry!"

Clearing his throat, he winced slightly, speaking carefully to avoid exacerbating the rasp.

"Why, lassie? This ain't yer fault."

She looked down, eyes going misty.

"I hit you in the throat, at the end. And I'm the reason why you're hurt at all!"

She looked up as Grooves put a flipper on her shoulder.

"Darling, the only one at fault here is that-- … excuse my foul language here, peck neck shade."

"Aye. Ye didnae force us intae a contract, nor did ye take control of our bodies tae try and make us kill ye, nor did ye almost choke m-me tae d-death--"

The end of the sentence dissolved into a painful coughing fit. He grimaced, sipping at the water again to try and ease the pain. He flinched when Hat Kid spoke, her voice a strangled whisper.

"He did what?"

When he looked up, she'd gone paper white, her hands over her mouth. Mentally backtracking over what he said, he silently cursed himself out when he realised. Quickly, he put the glass and the ice pack down, walking over and pulling her into a tight hug.

"Ah'm here. Ah'm alive."

"What happened?"

Grooves repeated what the two of them had told Bow. Hat Kid's grip on him tightened and she began to shake. He rocked her slightly, trying to soothe her fear.

"And then he put the string around your throat…"

She looked up at him, and he realised he was wrong. It wasn't fear that made her tremble. It was pure, unadulterated _rage_.

"I'm going to pecking kill him."

For a moment, he was taken aback by the force of her fury, mind flashing to a similar fury on a much larger face. He swallowed, shifting positions to grip her by the arms instead.

"Lass, ye can't."

"Why not?!"

"It'll kill ye. Ye won't be th' same hatted lass Ah've come tae l-- respect."

She pulled away from him, changing her hat with a quick touch of the brim.

"You can't stop me!"

"Ah peckin' can, do not test me."

She whirled away, striding towards the door. He quickly jumped ahead of her, snagging her arm and spinning her around so she was trapped in his grip.

"Wh-- hey! Let me go!"

"Yer furious. Clouds yer judgement. Makes ye sloppy. Ye'd get yerself killed."

The ache in his throat was increasing with every word, but he pushed past it.

"In a test of strength, ye'd lose tae me. Fight smart, not hard. But ye cannae do that if yer furious."

He let her go, his point made, in favor of holding out a hand, struggling to fight back another coughing fit. Grooves quickly realised what he wanted and tossed him the ice pack, which he quickly pressed to his neck. Bow walked up, holding his half-empty glass of water out for him to take, a mixture of worry and frustration on her face.

“Hattie, we’re not going to let you go alone, you cannot change this. Mister Conductor, you need to stop talking, you’ll exacerbate the damage to your vocal chords.”

He took the glass and some careful sips, scowling slightly. The urge to cough died down in short order, but he was left clenching his jaw at the increased pain. Hat Kid was still visibly angry, but it would seem his words had gotten through to her, because she moved to sit down on the ramp to the observation platform, resting her arms on her knees.

“So, what’s the plan then?”

Grooves cleared his throat, folding his arms across his chest.

“We take ten minutes to get ready. Then we go to the Subcon Forest, find that shade, and kick his butt for everything he’s done to us.”

Bow stepped forward, looking thoughtful.

“He still has all your contracts, right?”

Hat Kid nodded.

“Mustache Girl and the Mafia Boss also have contracts, he forced them to fight me too.”

“Then we should probably find and destroy those, to free you from them.”

He clicked his talons, signing at DJ Grooves.

[“The shade’s incorporeal except when he wants to be - do we have a way around that?”]

Hat Kid grinned.

“He throws these potion things - if you can snag one and throw it at him, he’ll go blue.”

They all stopped to stare at her. Bow sweatdropped.

“... that really counts?”

“Yep!”

“... well, alright then.”

Grooves suddenly perked up.

“Oh, Conductor! Can you do that barrier again?”

He paused. With everything that had gone on, he’d been able to ignore the pervasive cold running through him, but the question had brought his attention back to it, making him shiver. He shook his head.

[“Don’t think so. Might be able to enlist some spirits to help, but it’s not a done deal.”]

“Well, darn.”

Hat Kid waved her arms, looking confused.

“Wait, wait, wait - barrier?”

He could feel the questioning, slightly sheepish look the Moon Penguin sent him and shot a glare back.

[“Tell her I’ll explain later.”]

“He says he’ll explain later. Either way, the answer was probably not, so it doesn’t matter right now.”

Bow clapped her hands.

“We’re wasting time. Are we all ready to go?”

Hat Kid nodded, brandishing her umbrella and running a hand across the brim of her Brewing Hat. DJ Grooves flashed a grin, brandishing flipper fisticuffs. He pulled out a knife, checking the edge before spinning it across his knuckles. Bow laughed.

“You’re all made for each other, honestly - so dramatic! Hattie, where’s the telescope for the Subcon Forest?”

“My bedroom!”

She shot up, diving over the handrail to roll through the door. The rest of them scrambled to follow, running across the spaceship to the bedroom.

“DJ Grooves, you’re with me! Conductor, Bow, are you two good to follow on after?”

He nodded, exchanging a glance with the other girl. She sent him a smile and he couldn’t help sending a small one back. For the first time since seeing the Snatcher in the basement of Dead Bird Studios, he felt a small flicker of hope. 

They rematerialised inside a part of the forest he didn’t recognise. It almost looked like a clearing someone had started to build a tower in, only to abandon it after getting a small wall in place. Hat Kid abruptly stiffened.

“He’s waiting for us. This is where we fought the last time.”

They all exchanged a glance, then Bow hefted her baseball bat.

“Well, we knew we were coming to a fight. Guess he figured it out as well.”

They strode forward, sticking close to one another. He shivered, gripping tighter to the hilt of his knife - something about this part of the forest made a primal part of him stand on edge. Hopping the wall, they started, seeing Mustache Girl and the Mafia Boss. Hat Kid stepped forward.

“Mustache Girl! Mafia Guy! What’re you doing here?”

As the others moved forward, he frowned. All five of the contractors here, in the same place - the place where the Snatcher was the strongest…

_Oh peck._

“LASSIE! IT’S A--!”

Abruptly, he was cut off, hands flying to his neck as the string tightened around it like a noose, pulling him bodily off the floor. Desperately, he clawed at it, jaw working as he fought to get air into his lungs. Distantly, he heard the others scream, as if from far away, but the echoey cackle rang through his skull like a bell.

**“FOOOOOLS!!! YOU WALKED RIGHT INTO MY TRAP!!!”**

There was a loud snap. Just as he was starting to lose consciousness, the string loosened and he was dumped onto a dark platform. He choked on the sudden rush of air, gasping and panting on all fours as his vision slowly cleared. He glanced up.

The Snatcher grinned down at him, faces mere inches apart.

He jumped back, scrambling to stand on semi-numb legs. The ghost cackled at him.

**“Relax, old man! It wouldn’t do for you to die of a heart attack before you can reprise your role!”**

He couldn’t ask what that meant before the string pulsed and everything went black.

-=-=-=-=-

When he woke up again, he had no idea how much later it was. Everything hurt again, to the point he didn’t bother standing up, unsure if his leg (which he was reasonably sure was fractured, if not outright broken) would take his weight. The Snatcher appeared again, growling angrily. He grinned, speaking even through the coughing fit that ensued.

“Those girls dinnae give up, ye peckin’ shade.”

The ghost growled.

**“They’ll lose, mark my words! I’m not holding anything back!”**

Abruptly, the world gained color again. He fell for a splitsecond before jerking still, the string catching tight around his neck. He dug his talons into it, pulling as hard as he could. To his surprise, the pressure eased slightly, some slack in the rope. It was nowhere near comfortable, but at least he could breathe somewhat.

Now that he could focus past the panic racing through him, he looked around and almost immediately began panicking again. Both of the girls were currently dodging blasts of dark power that shot out of the ground beneath them, a series of what looked like stage lights and purple Time Pieces falling out of the sky around them. Bow managed to snag a flask, throwing it at the ghost just before Hat Kid threw one of her explosive concoctions. Hit from both sides, the ghost snarled before disappearing. 

Suddenly, he reappeared outside of the well in the centre, throwing both girls into the air with the force of his landing. Buzzsaws sprouted out of the ground, racing in all directions. He hissed as one clipped Bow in the leg, making her stagger. Thankfully, Hat Kid was in the perfect position to whack the ghost the next time he appeared, buying them a moment to breathe.

Only a moment, though. The ghost quickly reappeared, summoning two hordes of Subconites that quickly began running around the arena. Yet more stage lights began to fall as the ghost started firing more beams of dark energy, sending sparks out through the whole arena. He clenched his jaw, losing sight of the girls in the mess of attacks.

They quickly reappeared, each tossing an explosive concoction at the ghost. The Subconites leapt back into the trees as the targeting circles for the tall beams lit up the entire arena. He watched, heart in his beak, as the girls ran in circles, diving to dodge the beams.

A scream rang out across the arena. Hat Kid had been caught in the very last beam. He strained against the rope, desperately trying to see where she was, smoke curling off of him in waves.

_Someone, anyone, please - save my daughter!_

Strangely, a faint giggle seemed to echo around him. Nothing like the Snatcher’s heartless cackles - something softer, cracklier. It was achingly familiar, but for the life of him, he just couldn’t place it. He mentally shook himself, focusing back in on the fight just in time to grin as a pained screech split the air, the ghost reeling back from a blow. Bow leapt at him again, the fury on her face evident even from as far away as he was. But the ghost dived into the ground, causing the attack to miss. His heartrate slowed slightly as he caught sight of Hat Kid standing up again. She was limping, one hand on her side, but she was alive.

The pair of them waited, on guard, but no further attacks came. Slowly, the pair of them relaxed before Bow perked up, pointing out something that had appeared on the ground. From where he was hanging, they looked like brown sticks. The girls quickly picked them up and tossed them into the well, where they dissolved into purple smoke.

The string dissolved with them, but he didn’t notice. A wave of cold washed over him, colder than he had ever felt before. It sunk into his bones, stealing his breath, freezing his heart in his chest. He felt numb, like falling through a freezing lake, watching the light vanish above him.

He was gone before he hit the ground.


	9. No Light, No Light

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> chapter song: [No Light, No Light by Florence + The Machine](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GD_9m1WJFzk)

They’d done it. They’d beaten the Snatcher. They’d destroyed the contracts.

She looked up at Hattie, meeting her grin with one of her own. A series of thumps interrupted their celebration, however. They turned, seeing the others all landed on the ground. Mustache Girl groaned, rubbing her head.

“First the Mafia, then this! I’m thoroughly tired of all these bad guys jerking me around!”

The Mafia Boss scrambled to his feet, running his hands over himself in joy.

“Ah ha ha! I still have my body! This is cause for celebration!”

Bow watched him run out the arena, bemused. Shaking it off, she walked over to help DJ Grooves up, handing him his starry sunglasses from where they’d fallen. He smiled at her.

“Thanks, darling. You really saved our tailfeathers, you know?”

She opened her mouth to respond, but froze, blood chilling.

“ _DAD!_ ”

She hurriedly turned, sprinting over to Hattie. The other girl was crying, frantically shaking the Conductor’s fallen form.

“Dad, please, please wake up! I can’t lose you, not like everyone else!”

She felt frozen to the spot, watching her best friend sob over the body of her father figure. They… they’d won! They’d beaten the Snatcher! They’d destroyed the contracts! This wasn’t supposed to happen!

Then again, an insidious voice whispered, neither was the time dilation.

“Bow. Bow!”

She flinched, looking up at DJ Grooves. The penguin had his flippers on her shoulders, leaning down intently at her.

“Go back to the ship, get the medkit and a blanket, come back. Gather any heart pons you can find as well.”

She nodded. That was an order, she could follow orders.

“Right!”

Hurriedly, she activated her link, materialising in back in Hat Kid’s bedroom. Quickly, she darted into the kitchen, snagging the med kit from the cupboard before bolting back to the bedroom. Belatedly, she remembered to snag the quilt off the bed before teleporting back. Mustache Girl grabbed the blanket off her, folding it into a pillow before propping it underneath the Conductor’s feet. Sometime between her leaving and coming back, he’d been rolled onto his back, DJ Grooves now performing chest compressions. She quickly knelt beside him, opening the medkit and grabbing the pulsometer, attaching the finger piece and turning on the screen.

The flat line felt like a betrayal.

Gritting her teeth, she stood, intending to go comfort her best friend, when suddenly the Snatcher appeared back in the centre of the arena.

**“Stupid fire spirits--! Oh. You’re all still here.”**

For a moment, silence reigned. 

Then Hat Kid let out a primal scream and threw herself at the ghost. 

“I’LL PECKING KILL YOU!!”

Mustache Girl quickly grabbed her, holding her back.

“H-Hey! Kid! Stop!”

“YOU KILLED MY DAD! I’LL KILL YOU!”

The Snatcher watched, bemused.

**“What? No I didn’t. Well, unless you count taking his soul. But I felt you burn the contracts, kid - he should have it back.”**

“He doesn’t.”

She hadn’t realised she’d spoke until his eyes turned to her, head tilted in curiosity. She stalked closer, feeling the grain of her baseball bat dig into her fingers as she unconsciously summoned it.

“If you’d look to your right, you’d notice that DJ Grooves is currently trying to resuscitate him. Lest you forget, we know exactly how to make you corporeal again. So--”

She jumped up, grabbing the scruff of fur around his neck and pulling him down to her height.

“Unless you want to get your ass handed to you, over and over again, for the rest of your undead life, you’ll tell us how to bring him back! Else, I swear to the stars, I will tell Mustache Girl to let Hattie go - and she _will_ find a way to kill you again!”

He glanced over, bemused expression falling to shock. He quickly looked back at her, his hands raising.

**“Whoa, whoa, I didn’t do that! All I did was take his soul, I swear! He should have been just fine once it was returned!”**

She huffed, disbelieving, but blinked in surprise as Mustache Girl suddenly gasped.

“Wait-- what are those??”

Turning, she started, seeing fiery foxes forming a ring around the edge of the arena. They swayed hypnotically, all different shades of orange and blue and green.

_“Heard his plea…”_

_“Felt her anguish…”_

_“Came to help…”_

“They’re fire spirits.”

Hat Kid sounded wretched. When she turned to face her best friend, she saw the other looked no better, eyes puffy from the tears still streaming down her blotchy face. But the rage had given way to curiosity edged with grief and slight hope.

“But I don’t know why…?”

Suddenly, DJ Grooves squawked in shock, drawing all their attention. He’d scrambled back from the body, looking stunned - and for good reason, Bow felt, hands dropping to her sides in shock.

The Conductor’s body was burning.

But it was also moving.

He sat up, climbing to his feet. His head tilted, examining his flaming arms, before his shoulders rose in a small laugh. The only sound was his footsteps and the crackle of fire as he strode forward toward her.

_“Ah’ll take it from here, lassie.”_

His voice echoed in the same strange, eerie way as the fire spirits. It sent a shiver down her spine as she quickly moved to the side. The Snatcher looked very nervous, eyes darting around.

_“Ah said earlier that Ah had a bone tae pick with ye, laddie. Now, threatenin’ me, Ah can fergive. Th’ stars know Ah’ve dealt with plenty of those. Chokin’ me out, controllin’ me, even killin’ me - all that is water under th’ bridge._

_“What Ah cannae fergive - what Ah willnae fergive - is hurtin’ me daughter.”_

Quick as anything, his hand lashed out, pulling the Snatcher down to his level in much the same way as she had earlier. The Snatcher hissed in pain, purple smoke starting to emanate from where the flames met his ghostly fur.

_“Yer ferst mistake was hurtin’ me daughter. Yer second was tryin’ tae do it again. Ye don’t get tae make a third.”_

The punch travelled no more than a foot. But behind it was the weight of a pissed off father wielding powerful elemental magic against a creature it was supereffective against. The Snatcher went sailing back, screeching in pain, slamming hard into the rainbow flame barrier conjured by the fire spirits. The Conductor dusted off his hands, the flames around him dying away as he turned back to the rest of them, his ears pricked and a rueful smile on his beak.

“Sorry for th’ scare, lassie. Ah willnae do it again.”

She laughed as Hat Kid launched herself at the owl, almost knocking him over with the force of her tackle-hug. A flipper landed on her shoulder and she turned to smile at DJ Grooves, who shot her a sunny expression of his own before turning back to the other two.

“Let’s get this celebration going! But, back on the ship, yeah?”

Hat Kid quickly let go of him, nodding sheepishly.

“Right! Let’s go home.”


	10. You Got the Love

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> chapter song: [You Got the Love by Florence + The Machine](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PQZhN65vq9E)

Life continued on, relatively unchanged.

The Mafia of Cooks continued running Mafia Town, now with their boss back in his body and working the grill.

Mustache Girl continued trying to run the Mafia out of Mafia Town, without much luck.

The Conductor and DJ Grooves announced they were doing a collaborative project, leaning into their respective strengths, starring the little girl who brought the Moon Penguin the win in last year’s Annual Bird Movie Awards - critics predicted it would take the movie world by storm.

And at the end of the day, a father and his daughter would go home on his train, stopping in for dinner with his son-in-law and grandkids before heading to her home to tuck her into bed.

There were hiccups, of course - nights where nightmares wouldn’t leave her alone, days where he couldn’t get away from the dark thoughts in his head. But he’d pull her close, or she’d hold his hand, and they’d remember all they’d done to get where they were were now, and they’d think of all the good times ahead, and they’d be happy.

This isn’t the end of their story - I daresay this is only the beginning.

But where they go from here? Only the stars know.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> well, that's the end of the main story. i do have more stories planned in this 'verse, two of which are already uploaded. let me know if there's something specific you want to see and thanks for reading to the end!


End file.
